What is old is NEW again

Vintage--Industrial

As I have been researching and sourcing for a "pub-room" aka "man-cave", I have come across some manly and equally appealing furniture pieces and designs that evoke industrial, vintage images in a garage-like way.

Being from Kentucky and yes, being a "Coal Miner's Daughter" I am drawn to things that are naturally pleasing (and functional)  in their raw form:  burlap or linen material, fresh greenery, reclaimed or salvaged wood, industrial carts, metal baskets, flour and coffee sacks, vintage dish cloths made into pillows,  "paint-peeling" shutters and furniture that can tell a story or have definitely have lived a colorful life. Even, galvanized pipes (as long as they ain't yur plummin') are artistic and beautiful in their own way.

It is easy to take these everyday elements and incorporate them into your home decor.  Whether you are creating a whole new look or sprucing up your coop, I am sure you can glean some ideas from the following spaces.

This eclectic living room receives a punch of color from the re-purposed industrial cart turned coffee table in its original yellow paint.  Also, check out the surveyor tri-pod lamp in the left corner.

This dining room actually has all new things with borrowed design elements from the industrial factory.  Chairs, table, clocks and cloches as well as the lighting.....all borrowed from the past.

I am loving the clean lines of this space.  The regular metal chairs painted green-blue for dining purposes and simple barn lights overhead are great ideas on a budget.  Also, the galvanized fee-store or garden supply center display shelf as the end table and storage......

This kitchen borrows elements from the industrial side of things like the stools and utility cart/island as well as the pendent lighting.  A space like this infused with a little color such as the red food scale makes for a fun and appealing atmosphere to get creative with your cookin.'

Who wouldn't want to work in a space like this?  Again, barn-like pendent lighting overhead....see a theme here?  Also the salvaged wood desk and metal chars......lovely

i absolutely love this kitchen.  I love the color of the cabinets and the fact that there isn't any upper ones....this creates a very open space, as does the re-purposed island card and salvaged wood table.  There are those pendent lights again.

Again an industrial cart re-purposed into a a sink with pull out industrial lighting and a concrete sink vessel...a great powder-room or garden/mud-room area idea.

i love this space because it reminds me of what my dingy, dark and disgusting basement bathroom could look like.....a fresh coat of grey paint, re-purposed mirror, hand sewn vanity skirt with pictures in white mat and frame....I think I am going to "steel" this idea.

This is a coffee shop/bakery...but I love the mixture of industrial lighting and exposed metal beams as well as the mis-matched table and chairs....This would be a great idea for a commercial space or loft.

if you don't have enough closet space, why hide the fact....let it all hang out and use the elements as design.....an industrial clothing cart with hat-box storage.  You could easily accomplish this with using pipes mounted to the wall for hanging closes...industrial baskets and vintage suitcases for storage.

Speaking of storage...I am going gaga over this collection.  I am currently on the "hunt" for items like this for the "pub-room" 

here a utility cart is re-purposed as a pantry of sorts.  Again, storage baskets are used and vintage cans and crates....for utensil holders.  I love the vintage tackle box or lunch box on the bottom.. What is so lovely about this is that fact that this pantry does not need to be behind closed doors.

A storage option...or a tool box

Jewelry holder, craft organizer, for the potting shed or bar area......LOVE

re-purposed egg baskets as lighting

Nautical boat lighting as sconces for the the mirror in the room, over the fireplace or in the bath.  I actually have  great idea of buying something like this and painting it some fun color and putting in beside my daughter's bed.

And lastly, finishing the room with art.  Ideas for industrial art are endless...You could put trays or crates on the wall, watch works, pulleys and any kind of metal sign.  Black and white photographs work well.  Better yet, go around town and take pictures of your historic landmarks in your town and print them in black and white and buy ready made mats and black frames (project ideas).  Ideas are endless.  

Show me yours!

Enjoy

Powder room Inspiration

So in trying to find inspiration to re-do a powder room, I collected some pictures and items of inspiration to draw upon for an eclectic,  unplanned, aquired-over-time, kind of look.  Feast your eye on the pictures below to get an idea of where I am going: 

Since I am digging the chevron pattern look right now in home decor, I love this wall-paper.  I really like the colors and how the mirror and sconces do not compete with the paper.  Also, the vessel sink is uber cool and sleek--giving a modern twist on what could be traditional looking.

Love the wall color here with the "opposites attract" attitude against the super funky take on a wing-back chair.  This office has plenty of spunk--I could be creative in here.

Birds...love all things birds.  Birdcage, birdhouse, birdnest....you get the picture.

Again, what a great dreamy, creamy color for the walls here...blush-pink.  Combined with the curtains and you have a true escape.  Love the mirror too, very feminine and graceful.

What's not to love about this eclectic space?  The blush wall-color, check.  mish-mashed furnisings, check, fresh flowers, check, feminine sconces, check and plush coral foot-stool, check.  Who doesn't need a foot-stool in their bathroom?

I love everything about this powder room.  The blush paint on the walls.  The sink vanity or console--very shabby chic--paris flea market look.  Gilded mirror and sconces.  Although this may be too feminine for a powder room used by the masses on the first floor of a home.  This is perfect for an on-suite "her" bathroom off  of a Master bedroom.  Ahh, to dream.

Opposites attract here, too, in this bathroom.  I think I am drawn to the unexpected.  The hewn beams on the ceiling, wood plank walls, elegant bench and chandelier....all worthy of a bathroom escape...we all know the bathroom is really one of the only rooms in the house that us women have some actual privacy. Well, sometimes anyway.

Love the dresser, which would be great for extra storage.  But, even better--converted into a sink vanity.  Why not?

Simple elegant sconce with a touch of macsulinity.  I like the oiled bronze look and most importantly the burlap shade.

Who doesn't like reclaimed barn wood?  I loved it before it was all the rage in re-purposing and designing.  Believe it or not this is ceramic tile.  Oh my! So realistic. 

What a gorgeous door.  Very parisian.  Love the color and the design.  And, the fact that the rustic-ness adds beauty.

You can easily take some of these ideas and incorporate into your home.  Stay tuned to our finished bathroom inspired by these ideas here.

Enjoy

Decorate with Vintage Trunks

I have been working on a bathroom for a client and am looking for a vintage trunk to use as storage.  There are so many great ideas to utilize a trunk within your normal daily living.  Check out the pictures below to steak some ideas for yourself:

Here a trunk is used as a coffee table in an eclectic living room. 

Stacked in an entryway, trunks and suitcases become an interesting entery table.

At the foot o the bed, a trunk can be functional and beautiful, by storing blankets and linens, shoes or toys.

 

A stack of trunks or vintage suitcases in pastel hues are used as a nightstand

 

A few trunks under an entry table creates more depth and offers storage for seasonal items.

 

If you are looking for ways to find trucks, check Overstock.com, Craigslist for your area, estate sales, flee-markets and Hobby Lobby.  These area ll great resources.

 

Happy Hunting

Happy Holloween

How do you decorate using Orange and Black without it looking like a Holloween Party.......Easy... Mix in Grey.

Orange and Grey is the new Red and Black. Haha.....A statement color-combo born to be a classic. Check out the pictures below to inspire you this Holloween.

This picture is masculine, but adaptable to a femine side also.  I orginally cliped out this picture for inspiration for a Man-Cave that I am working on.  It is really non-descript except the punches of orange.

I LOVE this orange  headboard.  I am really drawn to upolstered headboards lately.  This is so lovely.  But, you better love the fabric because it is yours.  The lattice type pillows and the small double stools at the end of the bed--instead of a bench--area all fun.  With the scale of this headbaord so high, it needs balanced with like heighth objects like the lamp and the small stools.

 This is where a darker peach paint comes alive.  I love the tailered bed covers and the stripe-roll pillow at the foot of the bed pulls the room together in my opinion. Once a peach, always a peach

 



Love this orange-door and grey siding.  Most likely, because I have an orange door and just painted 5 colors of grey paint on the backside of the house to see which would look best on our colonial.  When the weather is nicer, I will take pics and get you all to help me decide.

 

Now this picture I also love, because I have that exact rug in my living room and a chair almost identical.  What I like the most is that its eclectic in style and easily a way to pull together things you have in other rooms to "style" your own living room.  I may practice what I preach.

This orange kitchen is a bit modern for my taste, but I do love the cabinents.  I was looking a green ones very similar over at IKEA for the Man Cave as well.  These cabinets would look great in a bar area or garage.

Who couldn't be creative in this office?  The soothing grey walls and pattern orange curtains.  The rug would work in any room and help ground the space.  I love the shabby desk and that abacus?? Wonder where they got that?

Here, wallpaper is king.  Similar orange and white pattern to the run above, but smaller scale and on the wall.  The head-board is super fun.  Painted and upolstered in Grey textured fabric. The boloster stripe pillow brings it on down and keeps the pillows from competing with the wallpaper.

This wallpaper is more of an orange-yellow and it shines in an all-white bedroom with splahses of blue and grey.  I don't know if even I am brave enough to pair zebra print curtains with ginko wallpaper.  But, after looking at this pic, why not?

Here you take a non-descript vanilla room and add in splashes of orange and grey.  Objects that can be switched out to other colors whenever you feel like it.  Start with curtains.  Notice how the grey solid bottom piece grounds the space.  Next add pillows to the couch and a lovely print for the wall.  Instant room

I admit this is one of my favorites.  I am in love with Bold curtain prints right now.  Especially stripes like the ones above and chevron.  I recently bought some great vanilla plain groment top curtains from IKEA for $24.00...yes, $24.00.  I am going to attempt to create my own stripe curtains at a fraction of the cost......I will let you in on it, when I start.

I am seeing Stripes!

I am not the zebra from lucky stripes, but I am definately inspired by chevron these days.  This pattern is eye-catching and a safe, full-proof way to add "punch" to your decor.  Check out the ideas below for every room in the house.

Happy looking.

For your Bedroom, a Chevron throw

 

For your living room; A Chevron Chair

 

Paint a "rug" in your kitchen or hallway

 

Hang a Chevron curtain in your office or den

 

Use Chevron tape on Lamp-shades, journals, or just for fun anywhere

 

A small collection of Chevron everywhere and anywhere....love the ginger jar

 

Chevron underfoot with a rug in the dining room...it is the star and makes all colors come together.

 

A small classic touch with a chevron pillow on a couch, chair or bed......

 

How about Chevron for yourself?, a dress....mod or retro, you decide.

 

Again, a painted chevron floor...This looks like a store, but could easily work in an entry, mudroom or kitchen....

 

Chevron on the floow makes sense for many uses as you can see and an easy update in any room.